What to know about preparing for IVF

Whether you’ve been trying to conceive for months or are just getting started, preparing for IVF can feel overwhelming. Our Utah IVF doctors believe that taking good care of yourself is important to reduce stress and get ready for the important role of parenthood. We also want to ensure that you understand the pre-IVF process and other steps you can take to help you feel confident going into this advanced fertility treatment.

Important steps in preparing for IVF

Focus on your health. Trying to conceive can be stressful, and pregnancy requires you to take care of both yourself and your growing baby. For all of these reasons, this is a good time to focus on eating a healthy diet, getting light exercise, getting enough sleep, reducing stress, cutting out alcohol, stopping smoking, and cutting back on caffeine.

Start prenatal vitamins. As soon as you think you want to try to conceive, you should start taking a high-quality prenatal vitamin. These special vitamins contain folic acid, in addition to other critical nutrients. Taking these vitamins is an easy way to ensure that your baby will have all the nutrients needed during pregnancy, including folic acid, which has been proven to lower the risk of neural tube defects in a developing fetus.

Initial appointment. Our Utah IVF doctors offer a free initial consultation to discuss your medical history, prior attempts to conceive, and any test results or procedures related to your reproductive health. At this visit, you will learn if additional testing is needed to determine if IVF is right for you. 

Fertility testing and screening for infectious diseases. Preparing for IVF begins with gathering all the information needed for an accurate infertility diagnosis. Fertility testing of both partners also helps our Utah IVF doctors plan the most effective IVF approach for you, including medications and doses needed to maximize the number of healthy eggs retrieved. You may also choose to receive genetic carrier screening, especially if a known genetic disorder exists in either partner’s family. In addition to standard fertility bloodwork and semen analysis, ultrasound examination can give our IVF experts additional insight into the number of eggs that might be available for use in IVF.

Understand your insurance benefits and explore financing if necessary. For many people, insurance covers at least part of an IVF cycle, such as testing needed for an infertility diagnosis. It is important to explore your available benefits to ensure that you take advantage of all available coverage. Should you choose to proceed with IVF, we can help you find financing and medication discounts to reduce the cost of the IVF process.

Receive your IVF schedule. Our Utah IVF doctors will provide you with a detailed schedule of your IVF cycle, so you know exactly what to expect and can plan accordingly.

  • What medications to take, in what doses, at what times, on what days
  • When you need to return to our office for ultrasound monitoring during ovarian stimulation
  • When you can expect to return for your egg retrieval and embryo transfer
  • When you will learn the outcome of your IVF cycle through pregnancy testing

Order medications. Our specialty pharmacy will deliver your medications and supplies to your home. Our team will provide training necessary for you to learn how to safely self-inject your medications at home, and we will always be available by phone or text should you have any questions. 

Start the IVF process. While it may feel like the IVF process takes a long time, in reality, it’s just a few weeks. Preparing for IVF can give you the peace of mind that comes from knowing you’ve done everything possible to achieve your dream of bringing home a baby.

We are here to help you with preparing for IVF

Throughout your IVF cycle, our Utah IVF doctors and experienced team will be by your side, supporting you through every step. Contact us to learn more about preparing for IVF.